A máquina de lavar terminou o ciclo.

The washing machine has finished its cycle.

Breakdown of A máquina de lavar terminou o ciclo.

• terminar: to finish
• a máquina de lavar: the washing machine
• o ciclo: the cycle

Questions & Answers about A máquina de lavar terminou o ciclo.

Why do we say máquina de lavar instead of máquina para lavar?

In Portuguese the construction máquina de + infinitive is the standard way to form “machine for doing X” (e.g. máquina de escrever, “typewriter”). The de links the noun to the action. Para would translate as “in order to,” which sounds odd in this fixed noun phrase: máquina para lavar isn’t idiomatic.

Why is there an a before máquina?

Portuguese nouns have gender and usually require a definite or indefinite article. Máquina is feminine, so we use the definite article a (“the”). Without an article you might see it in titles or labels (Máquina de Lavar on a sticker), but in a full sentence we use a máquina.

Why is terminou in the simple past (pretérito perfeito) and not the present perfect?

European Portuguese commonly uses the pretérito perfeito (terminou) to report a completed action in the recent past. English says “has finished,” but Portuguese prefers the simple past here. A present perfect (tem terminado) would imply a repeated or ongoing process, not a single completed cycle.

Who is the subject of terminou? Why isn’t there a pronoun like it?

The subject is a máquina de lavar itself. In Portuguese, subject pronouns are often dropped because the verb ending (-ou) makes the person and number clear. You could say Ela terminou o ciclo, but it’s redundant; A máquina de lavar terminou o ciclo is more natural.

Why do we say o ciclo instead of um ciclo or leaving out the article completely?

Using o ciclo (“the cycle”) refers to the specific wash cycle that just ran. Um ciclo would mean “a cycle” in general, as if you didn’t know which one. Omitting the article entirely is ungrammatical in most contexts—Portuguese almost always needs an article before singular countable nouns in full sentences.

Could we say ciclo de lavagem instead of just ciclo? What’s the nuance?

Yes, ciclo de lavagem (“washing cycle”) is more explicit and perfectly correct. In everyday speech you’ll often shorten it to o ciclo, since in context you already know you’re talking about the wash cycle. Both forms are acceptable.

Can we use a different verb than terminar, for example acabar?

Absolutely. A máquina de lavar acabou o ciclo is also common. Acabar often feels a bit more informal, but it means the same here—“the machine finished the cycle.”

Why is the order máquina de lavar (noun + de + infinitive) instead of infinitive + noun like in English “washing machine”?

Portuguese forms these compounds differently: the main noun comes first (máquina), then de plus the verb that describes its function (lavar). English uses a participle (washing machine). It’s just a predictable pattern in Portuguese noun formation.